Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1913 — Page 3

VALENTINE DAY LONG IN FAVOR

Centuries Have Failed to Dim the Memory of the Good Old Saint.

4- ___________ DISPUTE AS TO HIS IDENTITY

At Least Two Bishops of Ancient —Times Have Been Credited With the Honor of Being the Founder of the Day Consecrated to Cupid.

ST. VALENTINE of blessed memory, whose natal day falls upon the 14th of February, seemß to be the saint of this particular season. His customs, which have survived the lapse of centuries! are associated in our minds with the sending of various amatory epistles, and the rather more agreeable gifts and presents, which are occasionally sent in the shape of flowers and candies by the young men and maidens, one to another. New York and New Yorkers still retain memories of the saint, who seems to have been like his associate; the good St. Nicholas, a patron saint of the Netherlands, and in this connection we, perhaps on account of our Dutch ancestry, celebrate his festival with a kettledrum, says the New York Times. Far back in the mists .of antiquity lies the origin of the custom of sending letters, or valentines, on the saint’s day, while the original St. Valentine would appear to be gifted with as many lives as the proverbial cat, or reincarnations under the same title, for we And two bishops of the name, a Virgin martyr, and a Tyrolean saint, all of whom have authentic records of their lives and deaths preserved in history, and none of whom would seem to be in any way connected with the valentines of today. However, It is always possible to reconcile the two or three, and there Is sufficient evidence to show that St. Valentine, a bishop of Rome, who died In 278 A. D., was born on the 14th of February, and he is so set down in the Roman and Anglican calendars. He was a martyr to his faith, and when cast into prison by his enemies he cured his keeper’s daughter of bllndneßß, for which miracle he was beaten with clubs and then beheaded, and his remains repose In the Church St. Praxades, at Rome, while a gate now known as the Porto Popolo was formerly called by the name of St. Valentine, or Porto Valentino. Another Valentine, also a . Bishop, claims a share In the day, and his claim to shintshlp rests upon the cure of the son of Craton, the Rhetorician. His death was caused by choking on a fishbone, whether of his own choosing or administered by his enemies the legend does not state, but In Italy and Greece they pray to this saint to cure them from epilepsy. The St. Valentine of Tyrol, who seems to have been born a little later, and who died in the fourth century, has a church conscrated to his memory in South Tyrol, at Meran, where he Is supposed to have preached Christianity to the heathen Lombards. In the legend he appears as a beautiful youth attired In the dress of a Roman soldier bearing a cross on his sword hilt, and coming over the mountains from Italy; entering Meran, in what is now known as Tyrol, he encounters the heathen priest o/ the temple, and after a long argument with him, he calls upon his gods to destroy the temple. The heathen and the priest are #ll

A VALENTINE.

THE WORLD 18 MINE.

struck dumb by his threats, and when with one blow he pushes down the pillars of the temple, like Samson, they rush forth in horror, expecting him to be destroyed under the falling walls. Instead of which St. Valentine kneels unhurt, with a seraphic look upon his face, while the wrath of their god Is not shown by the fierce wing and tempest which they expect, and quantities of doveß and birds alight upon the neighboring trees In peaceful flocks. St. Valentine immediately after this miracle marries the first heathen couple and performs the first marriage ceremony in Tyrol according to Christian rites, which would seem to associate him with at least two of the modern customs as the saint of lovers, and with the emblem of his doves and birds.

Next to our rejection of Santa Claus the worst thing that the sophistication of time does for us is to destroy our Interest in the other beßt dates in the calendar. If some of us strove to keep that interest alive we might know life better and live longer. One of these days id St. Valentine’s, now near at hand. There was a time in life of most men and women of middle age today when the approach of February 14 meant a thrill. It was a day of sentiment and humor. To the very youhg it was an occasion for the exhibition of irresponsible and frei quently cruel play in the dispatch of “comic” —and mostly coarse—valen-i tines. Old maids and bachelors and other grownups of well known weaknesses and tender sensibilities suffered most, but even these could afford to forgive and ignore the thoughtless effrontery of children. The other and elaborate valentines, however, if sent anonymously, bore a mysterious, even celestial message. There are many thousands of women still llivng today who have Borne of these lacy colorful creations preserved in lavender. And why not? There is all too little of the tender and innocent expression of a distant and respectful regard for women to be noted among men just —now, and altogether too much of a bolder and degrading admiration,.— Philadelphia Press.

Old English Valentine Custom.

In the west of England there was one ancient custom that was extraordinarily singular. Early in the morning of St. Valentina’s day young men, necessarily of the character that “deelights” In the strenuous life, started out together with a clap-net to oatch an’owl and two sparrows In some neighboring barn- If they were successful In catching the birds and brought them to the village Inn without 1 injury and before the women folk had risen, they were- rewarded with three .pots of purl (whatever that la) by the lnkeeper. They alto enjoyed the privilege of demanding similar consideration at the hands of every householder in the neighborhood.

The Valentine.

THE VALENTINE BIRD

CUPID’S ESPECIAL DAY IS THAT OF GOOD ST. VALENTINE.

CUSTOM, more potent any other authority known to <p» B , ban decreed that on SL Valentine’s day those of opposite sex shall exchange missives and epistles, either comic or sentimental, in which the foibles Of the receiver or the love, of the sender are set forth in prose, in verse and in emblematic picture. Now there is no eustom without a reason, but the reason for this cannot be found in the life of the good saint who is made to indorse this custom with his nalne. - “He wrote-no love soagl “No one rises to accuse him of casting sheep’s eyes on any Roman maiden. He was a bishop or pope of Rome who stood steadfast to the faith during the Claudian persecutions, and for that faith was cast into Jail, where he cured his keeper’s daughter of blindness. Honi soit qui mal y pense! It is the pleasure of Cupid, blind himself, to bring upon his votaries a similar blindness, not to cure it.

“Nor was there anything comic or sentimental in the fate of St. Valentine when the miracle 'was made known to the authorities. They first beat him with clubs and then beheaded him. What was left of him is preserved in the Church of St. Praxedes at Rome, where a gate, now known as the Porta del Popolo, was formerly named in his honor Porta Valentini, or Saint Valentine’s gate,” says William S. Walsh In his "Curiosities of Popular Customs.” Bailey’s English Dictionary (1721), under the subject of Valentines, says: “About this cime of the year—February—the. birds choose their mates, and probably thence came the custom of the young men and maidens choosing valentines for special loving friends on that day." Francis Douce (1807), discussing the same subject, says: “It was customary to put the names of young women into a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed and the Christian clergy, finding it difficult or impossible to extirpate, the pagan practice, gave it at least a religious aspect by substituting the names of particular saints for those of the women.” “But see how strong Is the old Adam in the hekrts of the unregenerate/’ comments Mr. Walsh. "Wanton youth was not satisfied to imitate these holy fathers and ballot for ’«• ghostly—'partner in. heaven. It longed for tangible flesh and blood here on earth —flesh and blood of that

CUPID UP TO DATE

delightful variety whieh has a spice of the devil in it and is known as woman. “In the latter part of the sixteenth century" (according to Rev. Albain Butler) “the church, in the person of SL Francis de Sales, once more stepped in to sanctify the rites of St. Valentine’s day. St Francis severely forbade the custom of valentines or giving boys in writing the name of girls to be admired and attended on by them, and to abolish it he dhanged it into giving billets with the names of certain Balnts for them to honor and imitate in a particular manner." But in the end the boys and the girls triumphed fiver the saint. Nay, the girls triumphed als|> over the boys, wresting from them their exclusive privilege of choosing mates. Last year an irate old, maid who had been the recipient of a comic valentine which had stung her to the quick repaired to the factory, where It was made, with a rawhide and a limb of the law.' She demanded the name of the person who had sent her the objectionable missive. In vain she was assured that the factory was the last place in the world to learn the name of the sender. When told that the factory sold comics by the hundred gross to jobbers who, In turn, sold to wholesalers, and then supplied the retailer dealer who vended to individual customers, she swore roundly. Many clever young people in society with artistic and literary ability write, paint and otherwise decorate the valentines they send to favored ones. In some instances a part of the decoration consists of jewels, diamonds, pearls or other gems, and the Intrinsic value of the banble is thus enhanced. Valentine parties are still In popular favor, and .those who have not the ability to write love-sonnets or design sentimental valentines frequently go to artist friends, and even to professional artists, and have private valentines made. At these parties each person exchanges valentines. French imported valentines run as high as S2OO and SBOO, according to the richness of the lace and other trimmings, but these eipenslve missives are rarely kept In stock.

~ “ ' ' ■ V ' V J. - ■ •* -Wry. These are portraits of Joseph R. Wilson and Jessie Woodrow Wilson, the grandfather and grandmother of Woodrow Wilson, president-elect of the United States.

LOG OF DEATH SHIP

Nahma, a Pleasure Yacht, Brought Woe to Goelets .Yi._\ a *V~ •* V ‘ '""r ;ib: ir-Y r r -. ; - 4r ---V “ r ~^ Last Affliction Caused Family to Deny Dying Wishes of One of Its Prom* inent Members—Vessel Probably Will Be Boid. New York.—The members of the enormously wealthy Ooelet family of New York, one of the most prominent families of America, either die on board their yachts or are taken from them to die, says a writer. For this reason young Mrs. Robert Wilson Goelet, the former Miss Elsie Whelen. will not let her husband own a yacht of any kind, will not let him go cruising, nor will she go herself. And more than this, she is bringing up her small boys to hate yachts and will not even let them have toy boats of any kind. v Yachts are evil to the Goelets,” she has said many times. Last summer, when the news of Mrs. Robert Goelet’s serious illness reached her, young Mrs. Bobby said to her great friend, Mrs. Gordon Douglas: “The Nahma will claim another victim." Early in December Mrs. Goelet died, hot on board the Nahma, as she desired, however, but in Paris, where her only sob, Robert Walton Goelet, Insisted on taking hen. Mrs. Goelet’* illness and death is the latest tragedy df the magnificent pleasure craft that cost the late Robert Goelet more than $1,000,000. ' So strongly do the whole family feel dn the yachting subject in general, so keen is their dread of the Nahma in particular, that they refused to comply with Mrs. Robert Goelet’s last wishes and have her body brought back to America on board. But the Nahma was not the first yacht to bring tragedy to the family. Fifteen years ago Ogden Goelet, one of the best known New York and Newport multimillionaires, diod on board his steam yacht Mayflower. He had been cruising in English waters and died at Cowes. His body was brought home on board, the vessel that he loved as he did his life. His widow and son, Robert Wilson Goelet, would not keep the Mayflower. Mrs. Goelet said that it would always be a funeral ship to her, and so she sold It to the United States government It was used as a concerted gunboat during the Spanish war, and is now the president’s yacht. It is a noticeable fact that Mrs. Ogden Goelet and her son have never been interested in yachts or yachting since Ogden Qoelet’s death. Twenty months after putting the Nahma in commission Robert Goelet died on board in the bay of Naples, and his body was brought home to New York, in the beautiful little library whose walls were lined with rare first editions and equally rare old prints. Robert Goelet left the Nahma to his wife, with the request that she hold It until her-death. From that day until her death a few weeks ago the widow lived almost entirely on board the vessel on which her husband died. In January, 1902, after a series of brilliant entertainments on the Nahma, Mrs. Goelet decided to return to New York and bring out her daughter Beatrice. Beatrice was then seventeen years old, a remarkably pretty young person, and one who seemed destined to make a great match, for in Europe she was on friendly terms with the younger members of the royal families of Great Britain and Germany. While speeding across the Atlantic with the future so rosy before her Beatrice was stricken with' measles On reaching New York she was hurried to the mansion so wonderfully prepared for her, but she died on the tenth of Feb-

GRANDPARENTS OF PRESIDENT-ELECT WILSON

, 4r ruary, the second victim of the NabIBAI -r-;7>r ~ Even after this tragedy, from which she never recovered, Mrs. Goelet would not sell the yacht Last winter Mrs. Goelet returned to New York and was frequently at the opera in her box, but' otherwise she did not entertain very formally. She went to Europe last spring and after the Nahma had been redecorated took a cruise to the northward. Her son did not go with her. In July Mrs. Goelet developed a dangerous Illness. Specialists hurried to the yacht from London and Paris, said that it was cancer and that there was no hope.” “Let me die on board my boat,” said Mrs. Goelet tHer son hastened to Europe, but refused to grant his mother’s request She went to Paris, where she had an apartment, and after several months of suffering died there on December 5.

NO MORE CONVICT STRIPES

Oregon’s Governor Has All of the Prisoners Dressed In a Gray Unifornk Salem, Ore.—This year not a prisoner in the state penitentiary Is wearing stripes. As a Christmas present to the men, all parole violators, all those who have usurped the prison discipline, and, in short, all the men in the pz4sea who have been compelled to wear stripes, were placed In the convict gray as a start of a new year for these men. The stripes were abolished some time ago as a regular prison costume, and have been worn only by those who have become recalcitrant Paroles from Governor West were the Christmas presents received by

LIST OF CHOLERA SCOURGES

Terrible Plague Was Known as Early as the Year 767 B. C.. Declares London Writer. London.—The terrible ravages cbolera is making at the present tlihe in Turkey remind one of many previous occasions when epidemics have carried off thousands at a time, says Tit Bits. As early as 767 B. C. we read of a plague, and again in 453 B. C. Rome suffered terribly. Athens was attacked by a pestilence In 430 B. C, which was believed to have been caused by their enemies poisoning the water supplies. As many as 10,000 people a day fell victims to the plague at Rome in A. D. 80. So many people were killed during the epidemic which occurred In Bri Ijm during the fifth century that there were hardly sufficient persons left to bury the dead. In 772 Chichester lost 34,000 people, and in 954 Scotland lost 40,000. London was visited In the 10th and 11th .centuries, and Ireland suffered severely in 1204. The Oriental plague occurred between 1348 and 1382. It was known as the “Black Plague,” on account of the black spots which appeared on the skin at death. It started In China In 1333. and the deaths numbered 18.000,000, and 24,000.000 succumbed in the rest of Asia. It appeared In Norway and Sweden in 1349 and 1382. About 2,000,000 fell victims to the black plague In England, of which 52,000 occurred in London alone. The sweating sickness appeared In England fourtime# during the 15th and 16th centuriee. the flrat time In 1485, and lasted one month. In which 20,000 people died fas London alone. It also visited Holland, Germany. Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Russia between 1525 and 1530. In the 17th century a pestilence broke out in London and carried off 30.000 people. In Lyons 60,000 died during 1632 through a scourge which

James L. Riley and Frank Nash, and as long as their behavior is good they will enjoy their liberty. Riley was serving from one to It years for killing Louis Long, the for mer prize fighter of California, neai Redmond, Crook county. Long was eloping with Riley’s wife In an automobile, and after a whirlwind racs was overtaken and killed by Riley. It is said that Riley and his wife have become reconciled and will live together. Several other prisoners were given their liberty on probation.

GOATS AS MOSQUITO NEMESIS

Army to Protect the Animals, as They Eat Pests’ Breeding Ground at Fort Washington. VV ftOulUfttUll, U» \JO V» ***** ® fflllGll army of goats Is deployed from Fort Washington, oae of the citadels guarding the Potomac river approach to the national capital, to wage war on the shrubbery that Is a breeding ground of mosquitoes, a flying squad of artillerymen probably will be ordered out to protect the goats. # , The goats will work for the benefit of the fort’s garrison by eating up the rank underbrush, while the soldiers will return the compliment by shooing their horned allies away from the mountain laurel buds, which play havoc with their digestions Fort Washington has the reputatiot of being the most malarial fort in the country and war department officials conceived the idea of enlisting the services of the goats to destroy the breeding places of the mosquitoes.

$36,000,000 Sent to Britain.

London. —Approximately $36,000.00 in money orders waa sent from the United States to persons In the United Kingdom, according to statistics gathered here.

swept over France. Italy lost 400.000 in six months In 1658. In the 17th century Holland was visited by a plague; in Leyden 13,000 died of It, and the following year 13.287 died In Amsterdam. It waa brought to London in bales of cotton by some Dutch merchants. This was the plague of London, and. as everyone knows, about 100,000 persons died In one year Persia lost 80,000 from a pestilence in 1773, and Egypt 800,000 during 1790. Epidemics of cholera appeared In France several times during the 19th century. In which 18.000 people died In Paris between March and August. 1832. It appeared in England in 1848 and 1849, carrying off 13.161 persons, and 5,000 persons were carried off In London in 1866 In fifteen weeksDuring recent years India has been heavily visited by plague—in Bombay, Northwest presidency, and Punjab, and a less degree In Burma, and other parts of India. In January. 1905, there was a weekly mortality of 20.000. reaching by steady Increase a total of 57,702. By April 1 It bad dropped to 4,000 weekly, but again reached 5,000 by the end of June. Two years after the number of victims amounted to as many as 1,316.000.

Sult Over Lost Dinner.

Pittsburg.—Claiming lie was damaged in the sum of SSO because a Thanksgiving box intended tor him was delivered at a hospital instead of at his house, and that he was compelled to call off a dinner party in eonsequence. Qeorge E. Fetter brought suit against the Adams Express company. In the petition filed in the county court Fetter declares the box contained one chicken,, one dozen bananas. one dozen oranges, half a dozen apples. Jellies, cakes and various other eatables suitable tor a Thanksgiving dinner. <